What causes a 429 error from ClawHub?

ClawHub applies a per-IP rate limit on skill downloads. Anonymous requests have the strictest quota. You usually hit 429 by installing many skills at once, retrying a failed install in a loop, or sharing an IP with other heavy users (cloud regions, corporate VPNs).

How long does a ClawHub rate limit last?

ClawHub rate limits reset on a rolling window, typically 10–15 minutes. Do not retry aggressively during the block — continued requests extend the cooldown.

How do I raise my ClawHub rate limit?

Sign in at clawhub.openclaw.org, create a personal access token, and set CLAWHUB_TOKEN as an environment variable. Authenticated requests get a significantly higher quota than anonymous requests.

Can I avoid managing CLAWHUB_TOKEN myself?

Yes. OpenClaw Launch runs your agent as a managed Docker instance so you do not have to configure registry tokens, retry logic, or service supervision yourself.

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Troubleshooting

ClawHub Rate Limit (429) — How to Fix "Rate Limit Exceeded"

If you see clawhub /api/v1/download failed (429): rate limit exceeded when OpenClaw tries to install a skill, ClawHub has temporarily blocked your IP for making too many requests. This guide explains why it happens and three ways to get unblocked.

What the Error Looks Like

The full error usually appears in your OpenClaw logs or terminal output like:

clawhub /api/v1/download failed (429): rate limit exceeded
  skill: tavily-search
  at ClawHubClient.download (...)
Skill installation failed.

The 429 is an HTTP status meaning "Too Many Requests". ClawHub is telling you that your IP address has exceeded the allowed download rate and is temporarily throttled.

Why Does This Happen?

ClawHub is the OpenClaw skill marketplace. It serves thousands of skill packages to OpenClaw installations worldwide. To keep the service reliable, ClawHub applies a per-IP rate limit on skill downloads.

Anonymous limit — Unauthenticated requests have the strictest quota. Triggering this is the most common cause of a 429.
Shared-IP effect — If you are on a shared proxy, a corporate VPN, or a cloud region (AWS / GCP / Azure), other users behind the same exit IP may burn through the quota before your request arrives.
Retry loops — If a previous download failed and something auto-retried aggressively, you can trip the limit yourself.
Bulk install — Installing many skills at once from a fresh config can briefly exceed the burst limit.

Three Ways to Fix It

Fix 1: Wait 10–15 Minutes

ClawHub rate limits reset on a rolling window. If you just hit the limit, the simplest fix is to stop, wait 10–15 minutes, and try again. Do not auto-retry in a tight loop — that keeps the window open and extends the block.

Fix 2: Authenticate Your ClawHub Requests (Higher Quota)

Authenticated requests get a much higher rate limit. Sign in to ClawHub and set a token so OpenClaw downloads use your account quota instead of the shared anonymous pool:

Visit clawhub.openclaw.org and create an account.
Generate a personal access token in Account Settings.
Set it as an environment variable before running OpenClaw:
```
export CLAWHUB_TOKEN="your-token"
openclaw start
```

Prefer not to manage tokens? OpenClaw Launch deploys a managed agent for you so you skip this setup entirely.

Fix 3: Use a Different Network or IP

If you're on a shared IP (corporate VPN, mobile hotspot, popular cloud region), switching to a different network usually resolves the block instantly. Mobile tethering, a different Wi-Fi, or redeploying to a different cloud region are all quick tests.

Preventing Future 429s

Install skills incrementally, not all at once. Add 2–3 skills, confirm they work, then add more.
Cache ClawHub downloads. OpenClaw caches downloaded skills locally — do not delete the cache dir between installs unless you need to.
Set CLAWHUB_TOKEN once and leave it set. Higher quota persists as long as the token is valid.
Don't retry in tight loops. If you script installs, add at least a 5–10 second delay between failed attempts.

If the Error Persists

If you still hit 429 after waiting and authenticating:

Confirm the skill name and version are correct — a typo triggers a 404 that some clients mis-classify as 429.
Check ClawHub status for any active incidents.
Try installing via McPorter as a fallback — it uses a different registry path for many skills.
On OpenClaw Launch, open a support ticket — paid instances get priority ClawHub quota and we can usually resolve blocks in minutes.

Managed Hosting Alternative

Managing CLAWHUB_TOKEN, retry backoff, and shared-IP gotchas yourself is fine for power users. If you'd rather not think about it, OpenClaw Launch runs your agent as a managed Docker instance so you can focus on skills and config instead of registry plumbing.